Forestburg, Texas. (original) (raw)

History in a Pecan Shell

Settled in the early 1850s by ranchers, the community didn�t form until it was safe from Indian raids.

The Horn Hill school (the county�s first) came into being in the late 1850s but a nearby grove of trees convinced locals to change the name to Forest Hill. This name had to be changed when an application for a post office was filed since there was an existing Fortest Hill. Under the modified name of Forestburg, the community was granted a post office in the Centennial year of 1876.

By 1885 the population was a respectable 200 with most essential business present, including sawmills and cotton gins. The population increased to nearly 400 by 1900 but had declined by about half in the 1920s. By the mid 1950s the community was down to 100. It swelled to 200 from the 1970s through the 1990s but the 2000 census reported a mere 50.

Forestburg Texas street scene
Photo courtesy Mike Price, October 2007

1907 Texas Postal Map showing Forestburg in SE Montague County
(Below "UE" in "MONTAGUE")
From Texas state map #2090
Courtesy Texas General Land Office

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